Refrigeration cabinet



May 17, 1932. c. 'r. HANSEN 1,859,239

REFRIGERATION CABINET Filed March 22. 1928 2 sheets-sheet 1 f INYENTOR:

Conrad THansen,

BY ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES Fla. 1

y 1932- c. T. HANSEN REFRIGERATION CABINET Filed March 22. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: Conrad T Hansen,

WITNESSES A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 17, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONRAD '1. HANSEN, OF BYWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'I'O HALE & KILIBURN ('20., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE REFRIGERATION CABINET Application filed March 22,

This invention relates to refrigeration cabinets, more particularly to a type useful for preservation of ice cream or the l ke in cans, and wherein a refrigerant circulating through piping immersed in brine is relied upon to maintain the required low temperatures.

For neatness offinish and durability, the better grades of such cabinets are usually covered both exteriorly and interiorly with sheet steel, but in the ordinary forms of construction, difiiculty has been experienced in preventing thermal-conductivlty between the metallic external and internal coverings, as well as in preventing breathing due to extremes of temperatures with attendant collection of moisture and rusting of the metal outward from the insides. These defects greatly impaired both the operative efliciency and the longevity of the cabinets, and it is toward overcoming them that this invention 1s 111 part directed.

I also seek to enable securing of the metallic surfacing without necessitating piercing or the use of screws or nails for the purpose.

I further aim to provide for ready access to, and removal of, the brine tank or receptacle, as well as the refrigerant piping, from the cabinet for inspection and repairs, without entailing disruption or impairment of the metallic surfacing.

Still other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description which followsof the typical embodiment shown in the drawings.

Fig. I is a longitudinal sectional view of my improved refrigeration cabinet.

Fig. II is a fragmentary detail section, on a lar er scale, of the cabinet structure, designate by the symbol A at the upper left hand corner inFig. I.

Figs. III, IV, V and VI are perspective views, illustrating novel structural features associated with the cabinet.

As herein depicted, the cabinet is in the form of a box with thermo-insulated side walls and bottom 11, and a top 12 provided an enclosure suitable for housing a brine tank 13 with isolated wells 14, to accommodate ice cream cans 15 or the like. The wells 14, it will be noted, are individually accessible 1928. Serial No. 263,639.

retroverted as at (Figs. I and III), and interlocked by counter retroverted key strips 21 of right-angled cross-section (Fig. IV) prefverably formed from somewhat heavier sheet metal stock.

The brine tank 13 is also made of sheet metal and to the same general configuration as the cabinet, but to such dimensions as to define inter-spaces of substantial width, between its side walls and bottom and the plates 18, 19 of the sheathing, for thermo-insulating filling 22, which may be cork, asbestos composition or the like, formed into boards and interfitted after the manner shown. The brine tank 13 abuts the insulation 22 and thus acts as a metallic internal lining for the cabinet. Around the top of the cabinet, the insulation 22 is closed in by a marginal frame 23, fashioned from sheet metal to the crosssectional configuration shown in Fig. V, with a square bead 25 upstanding from a surrounding depression 26, the outer margins of the metal being bent upward and inward as at 27, 28 into the form of an angular perimetric flange 29. This flange 29 does not I quite reach to the sheathing plates 18 at the side walls 10, of the cabinet, with resultant provision of an interspace all around for a strip of insulating material 30 which is carried over the horizontal portion 28 of the flange 29 and turned about and under its inner edge, as shown to the best advantage in Fig. II. The insulation 30 is in turn overlapped by juncture stri s 31 of metal which are retroverted at 32 see Fig. VI), while the upper edges of the side wall sheathin plates 18 are complementarily retrovertef, as at 33, to enable use of interlocking keys 35 similar to the keys 21 in securing said plates and the marginal frame 23 together around the top of the cabinet. The metal forming the inner face of the square bead 25,

of the marginal frame 23, extends considerably below the level of the depression 26 where it is turned laterally inward and down ward as at 36, 37, for support upon fixed horizontal bars 38 suitably incorporated in the structure. The shoulder thus formed by the parts 36, 37 internally of the marginal frame 23, is covered with insulating material 39 and affords a seat for the outward-projecting brim 41 of the brine tank 13. By virtue of the insulation at 30 and 39, direct contact is avoided between the metal at the exterior, of the cabinet and that at the interior with assurance against thermal conductivity and decrease in the efficiency of the cabinet. 'After placement of the parts just described, the hollow of the depression 26 is preferably filled with the thermo insulation as shown.

From Fig. I it will be further observed that the side walls 42 and the bottom 43 of the brine tank 13 are secured together by wrapped joints 44, the folds of which are intimately compressed to insure fluid tight junctures. The upper edges of the brine tank side walls 42 are turned first horizontally outward and then upward as at 45 so as to form the angular basal flange of the brim 41 and a shoulder for marginal support of a top plate 46 which is doubled upon itself and turned up at the edges as at 47 to lend stiffness at the designated regions. Screws 48 Fig. II are employed as a means to secure the tank 13 within the cabinet, said screws passing through aligned apertures in the several metal thicknesses constituting the tank brim 41, as Well as through registering apertures in the thermo-insulation 39, and take into the fixed supporting bars 38 underlying the inward projection 36 of the top marginal frame 23. For the purpose of forming a fluid tight seal at the junctures of these several parts, the channel between the upstanding flanges 45, 47 is filled with a suitable sealing compound, as conventionally indicated in the drawings.

Tubular metallic shells 49, with bottoms 50 secured to them by wrapped joints 51, provide the wells 14 for the ice cream cans 15, said shells extending down through openings in the top plate and resting on the floor 43 of the brine tank 13. The shells 49 have projecting circumferential beads 52 at the level of the plate 46, and the receiving open ings of the latter are provided with downward flanges 53 to embrace said shells, the junctures being made fluid tight in practice by soldering or welding.

The refrigerant piping shown at 55 is sup ported by hooked tongues 56 stamped out of vertical channel strips 57 of sheet metal secured to the insides of the brine tank walls 42.

The top 12 of the cabinet may be of wood with an outer covering 60 of sheet metal, and

supplemental facings 61 also of metal to line the openings 16 for the well lids 17. As shown in Fig. I, the lid openings 16 are surrounded by a bead 62 over which the edges of the metal of the covering 60 and the facings 61 extend in lapping relation.

Referring again to Fig. I, it will be noted that the cabinet top 12 rests upon the square head 25 of the marginal frame 23, as well as upon the locking key strips 35 by which said frame and theouter sheathing 18 of the side walls 10 are fastened together. For the purpose of securing the cabinet top 12 with capacity for ready removal to enable withdrawal of the brine tank 13 for inspection and repair of the refrigerant piping 55, provisions are made as follows: To the lower face of the top 12 are secured, inward of its perimetric edges, angle cleats 63 (Fig. II) which may be either continuous, or located at intervals, as may be most convenient from the standpoint of manufacture. The drop flanges of these angle cleats 63 are pierced for passage of tapered locking pins 64 adapted to engage registering apertures 23Fig. V through the square bead 25 of the frame 23.

. The ends of the pins 64 are accessible through cut outs in the insulation filling the special interval above the plate 46 around the upper ends of the'cylindric shells 49. The spacial interval 65 is normally closed to the exterior by tubular couplings 66 of thermo-insulating material, preferably flexible rubber, wlnch at their lower portions fit closely around the upper ends of the cylindric shells 49 and at their upper ends snugly engage within angular recesses 67 around the openings 16 in the cabinet top 12, behind the facings 61. Thus when it becomes necessary to remove the cabinet top 12 for the purposes hereinbefore mentioned, this may be readily accomplished by removal of the facings 61 around the openings 16, and displacement of the tubular rubber couplings 66 for exposure of the ends of the locking pins 64, whereupon the latter may be readily withdrawn by the aid of pliers or similar tools.

In keeping with the construction of the rest of the cabinet, the lids 17 for the respective wells 14 are likewise each constructed with a body 70 of suitable insulating material surrounded by .a two part protective covering of sheet metal. The insulating material body 70 of each lid 17 is circumferentially recessed, as at 71 Fig. II to take an insert 72 of resilient material which is held in place, with its under face exposed for seating upon the bead 62 around the opening 16 in the cabinet top, through rounding of the upper covering sheet 73 about its outer edge. The lid 17 is centrally depressed to accommodate a hand grasp 74 which is secured by means of an axial screw 75. The cabinet top 12 is thus rendered flush except for slight proj ection of the rims of the sheet 73 of the covers 17 overhanging the seating beads 62 around the well openings 16. v

Feet 76 serve to support the cabinet at a slight elevation from the floor, the same being secured by axial bolts 77 to the covering sheet 19 of the cabinet bottom 11.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a cabinet in which direct metallic Contact is avoided between the exterior covering 18, 19 and the interior lining 42, 43 to the advantage of preventing thermal conduction. The tight joints formed between the sections 18 of the outer metallic covering by thekey strips 21 and 35, as well as the sealed junctures 30, 39 between said outer covering, the top marginal frame 23, and the interior lining 42, 43, preclude breathing under extremes of temperature and thereby minimize collection of water and rusting of the metal outward from the inside. The use of the key strips 21, 35 also facilitates assembling of the cabinet, with avoidance of unsightly fastening means such as screws at the exterior. Thenovel construction characterizing the cabinet furthermore renders the removal of the brine tank 13 extremely easy, this being accomplished simply by displacement of the tubular rubber couplings 66 and withdrawal of the taper pins 64. The top 12 can then be taken off and results in exposure of the screws 48 by which the brine tank 13 is secured in place. By virtue of being soldered or welded fast, the shells 49 constituting the wells 14 are removable as a unit With the top plate 46. When the unit is lifted out, the refrigerant piping is obviously made accessible for inspection or repairs as may be required after long periods of usage this being all possible without entailing injury to any part of the cabinet. It is to be especially noted that the horizontal spacial interval between the tank top plate 46 and the cabinet top 12 is sealed against entry of moisture by the flexible rubber couplings 66 which embrace the protruding portions of the well shells 49 and have their upper edges snugly lodged within the annular recesses 67 around the well openings 16.

To prevent injury to the bottoms of the Wells 14 when the filled ice cream cans 15 are carelessly dropped into them, I preferably employ shock-absorbing buffers such as shown at 80. These buffers 80 may be fashioned to annular frusto-conical form from springy sheet metal possessing suflicient yielding capacity for the purpose intended.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a refrigeration cabinet comprising thermo-insulated walls and a bottom having an external covering and an internal lining of thin sheet metal sections with the meeting edges suitably interlocked, a similar material top marginal frame having an anglesection perimetric flange, hooked-section juncture strips co-extensive of the external covering edges overlying the angle-section flange aforesaid, and strip insulation interposed in a perimetric recession about the cabinet top intermediate the frame perimetric flange and external covering as Well as between said frame and the lining to prevent thermo-conductivity between the outside and inside of the cabinet.

2. In a refrigeration cabinet comprising thermo-insulated walls and a bottom having an exterior covering of thin sheet metal sections with the meeting edges suitably interlocked, a top marginal frame of like material embodying a rectangular bead upstanding from a surrounding depression with an inwardly-directed angular marginal flange, a perimetric recession about the outer edge of the cabinet top afl'ording an interval between the exterior covering metal sections and the frame marginal flange, thermo-insulating packing in said interval and overlying the frame marginal flange, juncture strips lapping the packing with retroverted portions meeting the exterior covering sections, and counter-retroverted angle-section key strips co-extensive of all the meeting edges to interlock the wall covering sections, juncture strips and packing to the frame marginal flange.

3. In a refrigeration cabinet comprising thermo-insulated walls and a bottom having an exterior and interior coverings of thin sheet metal sections with the meeting edges suitably interlocked, a to marginal frame of like material embodying a rectangular bead upstanding from a surrounding depression with an inwardly-directed angular marginal flange and a reversely-angled substantially-lower inner flange, a perimetric recession about the outer and inner edges of the cabinet top affording intervals between the respective coverings and frame marginal flanges, thermo-insulating packing in said intervals and overlying the frame marginal flanges, juncture strips lapping the packing with retroverted portions meeting the exterior covering sections, and counter-retroverted angle-section strips co-extensive of all the meeting edges to interlock the exterior and interior covering wall sections, juncture strips and packing to the frame marginal flanges.

4. A refri eration cabinet of the character described em odying thermo-insulated walls, a removable top with depending securing cleats attached to its lower face, said securing cleats being pierced for registry with apertures in the cabinet walls, and locking pins to engage through the registering apertures in holding the cabinet top in place from within.

5. A refrigeration cabinet of the character described embodying thermo-insulated walls to house a closed sheet metal tank with its top at a level below the upper edge of the cabinet and formed with wells comprising tubular shells of sheet metal that extend down through the tank top with slight projection thereabove, a removable top for the cabinet having openings axially aligned with the wells aforesaid, tubular couplings engaging about the projecting portions of the well shells and having their upper edges snugly lodged in annular recesses around the well openings in the cabinet top, and insulation filling the space around the couplings.

6. A refrigeration cabinet of the character described embodying thermo-insulated walls to house a closed sheet metal tank with its top,at a level below the upper edge of the cabinet and formed with wells comprising tubular shells of sheet metal that extend down through the tank top with slight projection thereabove, a removable top for the cabinet having openings axially aligned with the wells aforesaid and depending securing cleats perforated to register with apertures in the cabinet walls, locking pins to engage through the registering apertures in holding the cabinet top in place, said pins being accessible in cut outs of insulation filling the horizontal spacial interval between the tank and the cabinet top, and tubular couplings of flexible thermo-insulating material engaging about the projecting portions of the well shells and with their upper edges snugly lodged in annular recesses around the Well openings of the cabinet top to close off the insulation filled spacial interval against entry of moisture.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsyl- Vania, this 28th day of February 1928.

CONRAD T. HANSEN. 

